Allah the Exalted, Most Glorious, sent the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the final Messenger to the whole of Mankind. Allah the Almighty endowed the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) with an exalted standard of character and set his life as a complete guidance for mankind to follow. Allah the Almighty makes this clear in His final revelation to mankind the Qur’an: “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.” [Al-Ahzab, 33:21]

In this seminar held at the ‘Global Peace and Unity’ event in London (Oct 2010), Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi talks about dhikr, its various meanings and benefits. The Q&A session at the end covers topics such as the need for a spiritual guide, reciting the Names of Allah, and dhikr from the Sunna.

Anyone who thinks the Sunnah is not important and not a fundamental part of Islam will have no excuse after viewing this lecture. With evidences and logical analysis of why Islam is the Sunnah and the Sunnah is Islam and one of them cannot be established without the other.

In his second lecture to non-Muslim middle school and high school teachers, Murad moves on to the more outward manifestations of the Islamic tradition. He explains the sunnah as being the “backbone” of a Muslim’s daily life and provides a brief and simple explanation of it’s vital role in Islam. He then focuses the remainder of his time on the Islamic law, its various sources, and its history. And in closing, the speaker looks at a few case studies of the practice of ijtihad in the Muslim world. (Recorded at the Dar al Islam Teachers’ Institute seminar). Other topics discussed: dua (supplication), Salman Rushdie, medhabs (schools of thought), tabacco and smoking, AIDS, abortion, contraception, and artificial insemination.

Every Muslim acknowledges that Prophet Muhammad (P) was sent as “a mercy to all the worlds”. Yet many Muslims fall short in exhibiting the quality of mercy in their lives. There seems to be a disconnect between the theoretical teachings of Islam and their practical application in daily life. Mokhtar Maghraoui attempts to fuse theory and practice in this lecture by relating several examples of mercy and kindness in the Prophet’s life. What follows is a comprehensive overview of the concept of rahmah (love, compassion and mercy) in Islam that includes: Allah’s rahmah to His creation, rahmah that is conveyed in the sunnah to be shared between Muslims, between Muslim and non-Muslim, and between the Muslim and the natural creation such as animals. A wonderfully refreshing lecture and a great message to Muslim extremists or anyone subscribing to the notion that all Muslims are terrorists. (Duration: 31 min)